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Friday, July 21, 2017

In the early days of the Grand Lodge system and following Ramsay's Oration, European Freemasonry was plagued by degree fabricators and peddlers. Generally considered clandestine by most Grand Lodges, specifically the UGLE and American Grand Lodges, the Rites of Memphis & Misraïm are seen as clandestine or irregular as it claims jurisdiction over Ancient Craft Masonry and was seen by many as spurious at best, and nothing more than a money-making scheme to dupe title seekers out of money.. The Rites of Memphis & Misraïm are no longer worked by legitimate American Freemasons, but are now under the jurisdiction of the Grand College of Rites. These rites are worked in a few countries like Bulgaria, Italy, Romania, and the Dominican Republic. Prior to 1881, these rites were seperate and the Rite of Misraïmis older, but by the efforts of the renowned Italian patriot, Giuseppe Garibaldi, the two were merged together.

The degrees worked under these rites are as follows:

1º - Apprentice

2º - Companion

3º - Master

4º - Secret Master

5º - Perfect Master

6º - Intimate Secretary

7º - Provost and Judge

8º - Intendant of the Buildings

9º - Master Elect of Nine

10º - Illustrious Elect of Fifteen

11º - Sublime Prince Elect

12º - Grand Master Architect

13º - Royal Arch

14º - Grand Elect Perfect and Sublime Master

15º - Knight of the East or the Sword

16º - Prince of Jerusalem

17º - Knight of the East and the West

18º - Knight of the Rose Cross

19º - Grand Pontiff

20º - Knight of the Temple

21º - Patriarch Noachite

22º - Knight of the Royal Axe

23º - Chief of the Tabernacle

24º - Prince of the Tabernacle

25º - Knight of the Brazen Serpent

26º - Prince of Mercy

27º - Commander of the Temple

28º - Knight of the Sun, or Prince Adept

29º - Knight of St. Andrew

30º - Grand Elected Knight of Kadosh

31º - Grand Inspector Inquisitor Commander

32º - Sublime Prince of the Royal Secret

33º - Sovereign Grand Inspector General

34º - Knight of Scandinavia

35º - Knight of the Temple

36º - Sublime Negociant

37º - Knight of Shota (Sage of Truth)

38º - Sublime Elect of Truth (The Red Eagle)

39º - Grand Elect of the Aeons

40º - Sage Savaiste (Perfect Sage)

41º - Knight of the Arch of Seven Colours

42º - Prince of Light

43º - Sublime Hermetic Sage (Hermetic Philosopher)

44º - Prince of the Zodiac

45º - Sublime Sage of the Mysteries

46º - Sublime Pastor of the Huts

47º - Knight of the Seven Stars

48º - Sublime Guardian of the Sacred Mount

49º - Sublime Sage of the Pyramids

50º - Sublime Philosopher of Samothrace

51º - Sublime Titan of the Caucasus

52º - Sage of the Labyrinth

53º - Knight or Sage of the Phoenix

54º - Sublime Scalde

55º - Sublime Orphic Doctor

56º - Pontiff, of Sage of Cadmia

57º - Sublime Magus

58º - Sage, or Prince Brahmine

59º - Sublime Sage, or Grand Pontiff of Ogygia

60º - Sublime Guardian of the Three Fires

61º - Sublime Unknown Philosopher

62º - Sublime Sage of Eulisis

63º - Sublime Kawi

64º - Sage of Mythras

65º - Guardian of Sanctuary - Grand Installator

66º - Grand Architect of the Mysterious City - Grand Consecrator

67º - Guardian of the Incommunicable Name - Grand Eulogist

68º - Patriarch of Truth

69º - Knight or Sage of the Golden Branch of Eleusis

70º - Prince of Light, or Patriarch of the Planispheres

71º - Patriarch of the Sacred Vedas

72º - Sublime Master of Wisdom

73º - Patriarch, or Doctor of the Sacred Fire

74º - Sublime Master of the Stoka

75º - Knight Commandel of the Lybic Chain

76º - Interpreter of Hieroglyphics, of Patriarch of Isis

77º - Sublime Knight or Sage Theosopher

78º - Grand Pontiff of the Thebiad

79º - Knight, or Sage of the Redoubtable Sada

80º - Sublime Elect of the Sanctuary of Mazias

81º - Intendent Regulator, or Patriarch of Memphis

82º - Grand Elect of the Temple of Midgard

83º - Sublime Elect of the Valley of Oddy

84º - Patriarch or Doctor of the Izeds

85º - Sublime Sage, or Knight of Kneph

86º - Sublime Philosopher of the Valley of Kab

87º - Sublime Prince of Masonry

88º - Grand Elect of the Sacred Curtain

89º - Patriarch of the Mystic City

90º - Sublime Master of the Great Work

91º - Grand Defender

92º - Grand Catechist

93º - Regulator General

94º - Prince of Memphis, or Grand Administrator

95º - Grand Conservator

96º - Grand and Puissant Sovereign of the Order

97º - Deputy International Grand Master

98º - International Grand Master

99º - Grand Hierophant

As mentioned above, the Rite of Misraïm is the older of the two rites. This rite was originally 90-degrees and Joseph Balsamo, also known as Count Cagliostro, was instrument in its development. The Rite of Misraïm was founded in 1784 and referred to by Cagliostro as the "Rite of High Egyptian Masonry." This rite spread quickly in Milan, Genoa, and Naples and then to France through the efforts of three brothers named Joseph, Michel and Marc Bedaridde. It hit a roadblock in 1817 when it was banned in Italy.

The Rite of Memphis was established by Jacques Etienne Marconis de Nègre in 1838. This rite was similar with Misraïm, but combined elements of Templarism into it. It took root in Paris as well as Brussels. This rite would go dormant in 1841, but would be revived in 1848. With refugees fleeing the revolutions plagueing France, Memphis Lodges were established in London. Many Masons denounced this rite as being undemocratic and contradictory to the principles of Freemasonry as well as being too involved with revolutionary politics. The rite seemed to be in disarray by the 1860s.

Starting in 1881, Giuseppe Garibaldi seeing some use in these rites, prepared to fuse them together which came into effect in 1889 and he served as Grand Hierophant. Garibaldi is considered one of Italy's "fathers of the fatherland" as his military exploits made the unification of Italy possible. He even attempted to unify all of the Masonic bodies in 1867, but failed at that endeavor. These newly merged rites became popular by the efforts of Theodore Reuss, a close friend of John Yarker, both of whom would preside over these rites.

In America, the Rites of Memphis and Misraïm were not warmly welcomed; the Rite of Memphis being introduced in 1856. They were seen as borrowing degrees of the Scottish Rite and trying to capitalize on this rite's popularity. Many leaders of the rites in the US were often expelled from the Scottish Rite and in some instances from their Grand Lodge. Masonic leaders condemned these rites as spurious and nothing more than money-making schemes. Some Grand Lodges have had either amended their constitutions or Grand Masters issued edicts forbidding their members from joining these Rites. Albert Pike had the following to say about it:

"Whatever the merits of the Egyptian Rite, or Rite of Memphis may be, it is quite sure that it is not generally recognized as a legitimate Rite of Freemasonry; that the Bodies of it in the United States of America are entitled to and receive no consideration, it having been constantly used here for purposes of private profit; and that elsewhere in the world it has only here and there two or three isolated Supreme Powers which cannot be recognized by nor have relations of correspondence and amity with, those of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite."

These rites would rise and fall in the US, never truly taking root, until 1932 when they were dissolved and absorbed by the Grand College of Rites; it should be noted that there is debate as to the authority to dissolve this group, but was again done in 1955. The Grand College of Rites, which does not to practice any of its rituals, remains the only regular Masonic organization in the United States dedicated to preserving the history and rituals of defunct and inactive Masonic orders, and holds authentic claims to the Rites of Memphis and Misraïm.